Overview

Prim, headstrong, and beautiful Penelope is determined to expose the licentious affairs of the ton's randiest rakes. Now one of their powerful number?the unrepentant libertine Jeremy Vaughn, Duke of Kilgrath?has been selected to put an end to the prudish lady's interference. Jeremy's plan is devilishly clever: He will join Penelope's war against immorality, fighting passionately by her side, all the while showering her with anonymous erotic missives designed to titillate even the coldest, most unwilling maid. He ...

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Overview

Prim, headstrong, and beautiful Penelope is determined to expose the licentious affairs of the ton's randiest rakes. Now one of their powerful number—the unrepentant libertine Jeremy Vaughn, Duke of Kilgrath—has been selected to put an end to the prudish lady's interference. Jeremy's plan is devilishly clever: He will join Penelope's war against immorality, fighting passionately by her side, all the while showering her with anonymous erotic missives designed to titillate even the coldest, most unwilling maid. He will break down her defenses and inflame her repressed desires by escorting her (in the interests of their "noble campaign") to London's most notorious pleasure palaces. And he will visit her boudoir—masked—during the night to school her in the deliciously sinful arts she wishes to abolish. Then he will expose her hypocrisy to the world.

But the handsome rogue's scheme is doomed to go awry, even as the lovely Penelope sheds her every inhibition and freely gives in to his every whim. For in this sensuous game of hearts, it's the seducer who becomes seduced . . .

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Meet the Author

Jess Michaels always flips through every romance she buys in search of "the good stuff," so it makes perfect sense that she writes erotic romance where she gets to turn up the heat and let it boil. She also runs the popular website The Passionate Pen and writes historical romance as Jenna Petersen.

Read an Excerpt

Jeremy Vaughn, the Duke of Kilgrath, looked up from his snifter of port with a frown as he watched his friend Anthony Wharton storm around the private room at Worthington's Club.

"What woman?" he asked before he took a long puff of his cigar.

David Forster, the Marquis of Chartsford glared at him. "Great God, Kilgrath, what do you mean what woman? We're talking about Penelope Norman."

Anthony nodded his head, his scowl deepening. "Exactly. The woman is a deuced menace."

Jeremy shrugged, grinding out the remains of his cigar in a sterling silver ashtray as he pictured Lady Norman. With her lithe frame, long, flowing blond hair, and turquoise eyes, Penelope wasn't exactly the kind of woman a man of his appetites could ignore. And even if he could, her recent crusade against the sensual excess of the men of the Upper Ten Thousand was making her the current talk of the ton.

Still, he could hardly believe she was worth all this ruckus. He came to Worthington's and met with his friends in order to avoid this kind of gossipy foolishness.

"How much effect can one woman truly have?" he asked mildly.

The other five men in the room all stared at him. These were his best friends. All men of means, aside from Ryan Crawford, whose father had cut him off years before. And all were men of appetites. They enjoyed every advantage their names and wealth afforded them. Especially ones that involved women.

They called themselves "the Nevers," a silly name coined by Jeremy's younger brother, Christopher,after a drunken night when the group of them had all vowed never to change or falter or love.

So far, only Jeremy's brother had gone against that vow. Christopher had married six months before, and was the only one absent from their meeting tonight. Jeremy winced at the thought.

Finally, Anthony gave an outraged snort. "How much effect? Are you bloody daft? The woman stole my mistress."

Jeremy bit back a laugh, but only because he knew the subject was a sore one with his friend.

"Come, Wharton," Ryan Crawford said as he leaned back into a leather chair. "That is exaggerating it a bit. You act as though Lady Norman swooped in and kidnapped Fiona. Fi went of her own volition."

Nathan Ridgemont, the Earl of Dunfield, tipped his head back with a laugh. "Perhaps she thought this Penelope could satisfy her more."

Jeremy would have taken a moment to enjoy the spectacular image such a statement put into his mind, but he couldn't. Anthony lunged at Dunfield with a curse, and the room erupted in shouts as various friends grabbed for the scrapping pair. Jeremy caught Anthony by the arms and pulled him back as his friend struggled.

"Wharton," he growled. "Come on, you know Dunfield is only being an ass."

"And you aren't the only one who has suffered," Chartsford pouted when Anthony stopped fighting to be free and some semblance of calm returned to the assembly. "My wife, who was always so pliable and didn't give a damn where I went or who I went with, is now haranguing me night and day and demanding I give up my mistress. And all because of that wretched woman."

Jeremy released Anthony slowly and backed away. Wharton had become the closest thing he had to a best friend ever since Christopher abandoned him for the pleasures of hearth and home. Jeremy had a hard time reconciling this angry, red-faced man with the normally carefree gentleman he called a friend. Truly, Penelope Norman was more than just a mere annoyance for Wharton. She had come to represent the other man's deepest humiliation.

"What do you suggest we do about her?" Viscount John Lockwood asked from the corner where he had been sitting quietly, watching the entire exchange. He was the only one who had made no move to interfere with the fight.

Chartsford and Anthony exchanged a look that made clear what they would like to do to Penelope, but said nothing. In fact, it was Dunfield who stepped forward.

"There are six of us here," he said with a grin. "And we each have a certain reputation. Surely one of us could change her mind, put a stop to her meddling somehow."

"How?" Wharton snapped with a peevish scowl. "What is your plan, if you even have one?"

Dunfield shrugged. "Seduction is one way. It would open the door to blackmail or exposure."

"Seduce her?" Chartsford barked with an incredulous shake of his head. "Not bloody likely. She's not called the Ice Queen for nothing."

"Tried with her and failed, did we?" Jeremy asked as he tipped up his glass and took another slow sip of port.

Chartsford glared at him, but didn't refute the charge. As the other men began to debate the subject, Jeremy let his mind slip, once again, to Penelope Norman.

He had never felt the epithet of Ice Queen fit her. She might appear cold and distant at first blush, but he'd observed the young woman many times over the past two years. He saw her watching everyone around her. And sometimes, when she thought no one was looking, he saw a hint of burning lust in her pretty eyes. Unsatisfied desire, even before her husband tipped up his toes a year before.

No, Penelope Norman was no ice queen. Or if she was, she could easily be melted by the right man.

"Come on Kilgrath, draw a straw," Anthony barked, stirring him from his thoughts. Jeremy looked at his friend in wide-eyed surprise. Some time during his private musings, his friend had collected a batch of matchsticks and was now holding out a fistful expectantly. "You are not serious," Jeremy said as he stepped away.

Anthony advanced forward, his fist tightening. "Hell yes, I am! That little bitch Penelope Norman stole my mistress, and if she keeps up her crusade against men like us, it could be more than just Chartsford and me who suffer. I want her stopped. One way or another. And we are the only ones who have the balls to do it. Draw."

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An Excellent Read!

I read the prequel, EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN, and was so stoked to discover that book had a sequel (and many more to come after this one!) This book was different. I'm starting to love historicals now and I love Jeremy and Penelope's story. A tough, womanizer from a privately high-society and has a wealthy circle of friends had been asked to shut Penelope Norman up for her rude comments about their circle of men. Explaining to Jeremy that she has no right to talk about something so bad when she had yet to experience the true meaning behind their exotic nights. And with stuck up Penelope having her opinion, and keeping it locked in stone refuses Jeremy's idea of wanting to do good for their town and allow the women to know he can change, and not desire anything in a skirt. He wanted to help her cause, and she laughs at him at first. Then as the story progresses, she finds a friend in Jeremy, a very unlikely friendship unfolds between them all the while Penelope was receiving erotic letters from a mysterious admirer of hers. She agrees to meet with this man who demands he have her as his, they begin a lustful deal where her nights now belong to him, but he only comes to her as a mysterious lover in a mask.

All the while, Penelope and Jeremy are keeping their friendship strictly just friends, Jeremy also introduces Penelope to his world and allows her to see the way he likes to live life is not so bad as she thinks. Then Penelope begins to fall in love with Jeremy, and begins to picture her mysterious lover as Jeremy.

This story is beautiful, original, and very, very erotic! A nice read for a rainy day or before bedtime, but be warned!! This book is hard to put down. =)

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted June 24, 2008

Amazing!!!!!!!

This book was very hard to put down. It was a story full of love, lust, and finding of ones self. I can't wait till Jess Micheals next novel.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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Who Says Good Girls Finish Last

Sometimes you just want to throw away everything proper and just open yourself up to passion and everything it has to offer. This book gives you a glimpse of what happens if you do. Of course, it's just a fantasy but boy does it satisfy. Sensual and erotic, just how Jess Michaels does it.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted September 4, 2009

I Also Recommend:

Loved it.

I seriously loved this boo. It was such an enticing and exotic read. And erotic, too. I loved the whole idea of being a temptress and it gave me quite a stir!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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Fans will enjoy this fine tromance

In 1819 the 'Upper Ten Thousand¿ male aristocracy members are irate that the Widow Penelope Norman has challenged them for their sensual excesses she was sick of her late spouse¿s philandering and assumers other women detest their husbands¿ unfaithfulness. The Upper Ten Thousand choose a duke wastrel Jeremy Vaughn to end Penelope¿s campaign.----------------- Although he prefers to stay out of the mess, the challenge to his pride is too great from friends he has known seemingly forever so Jeremy agrees to end the reign of terror. He figures the easiest means to achieve success is seduce and blackmail Penelope into silence. In daylight Jeremy becomes a friend of Penelope at night he sneaks into her bedroom wearing a mask. He accomplishes his mission, but feels like he lost the war as he has fallen in love with passionate prude.--------------- The changing relationship between Jeremy and Penelope make for an entertaining Regency romance in which EVERYTHING FORBIDDEN becomes SOMETHING RECKLESS but worth pursuing. The lead couple makes this a fine read as he starts as a cad and she as a crusading prude over time respect and ultimately love flourishes. However, she loathes the overindulgences of the Upper Ten Thousand at the cost of women and children while he is a card carrying member. Fans will enjoy this fine tale of just who seduced whom.------------------- Harriet Klausner

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted March 11, 2013

Sexy, hot Regency....

Jess Michaels has become yet another new author that I have recently fallen in love with. I love her writing style and the sexy heat of her characters. This story is book 2 in the Albright series and Penelope is a great character. She is still estranged from her sister Miranda and now finds herself a widow some 2-3 years after "sacrificing" herself to help the family. She has taken up the cause of the married ladies of the ton, whose husbands are taking there pleasure outside the marriage bed. Along comes Jeremy Vaughn, the Duke of Kilgrath. His group of cronies seems to be personally affected by Penelope's crusade to end debauchery and he gets the short straw in a bid to put an end to her interference in their fun.

Needless to say seduction and blackmail are part of the plan but of course our 2 main characters end up experiencing lots of yummy pleasures together. I love reading Regency Romance and if you add in mind numbing hot sex consider me sold. It is not often an HR gets to the erotic level but these books definitely apply IMO.

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Anonymous

Posted January 19, 2013

Great!!!!!

Jess constantly pleases! Can't wait to read Beatrice and Winifred's stories! Penelope and Jeremy were as worthy as Miranda and Ethan

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Flor-83

Posted October 5, 2012

SUPER HIGHLY Recommended!!!!!

Loved It!!!!!!!!

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Anonymous

Posted September 15, 2012

Enjoyable..........but.....

A very nice story with a bit of hot romantic moments..........however........the potential for even hotter sex was there..........but wasted. Kind of let down when a certain scenario was mentioned but wasn't used. I was very dissapointed in that regard..........but the story in itself was.......enjoyable and left me smiling........

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Anonymous

Posted August 24, 2012

Good story

Nice read

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It took awhile for me to like the character, but very hot

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Anonymous

Posted April 14, 2012

A good romance- worth the read

This was a good story, read it after Everyrhing Hidden. That book was a bit better, but this was also steamy, and the good parts were very good ;) . Love Jess Michaels erotic romances.

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Ani-heart-books

Posted May 8, 2010

NOT WORTH THE READ!

I just finished my detailed, and very heated review, when it was just mysteriously cleared!

Basically, I hate this book!... had to force myself to finish it after leaving off for 2 days... wish I had just left it 'cause it just completed my total disappointment.

The characters and flat and the heroine is just plain stupid and even more hypocritical and the writer gave her credit for!
The book is a mere shadow of Jess Micheals first book, Nothing Forbidden, which I would recommend reading.
As a matter of fact, I should have just read the that book again and saved my $10.

This book was just a cheap copy of Nothing Forbidden except that in that book the characters were more belieable and accepted who they were and what they wanted.

I'm definitely not reading the 3rd installment 'cause the 3rd sister was just a shallow gold digger and I can't see how Jess Micheals will make that likeable!

Besides, her books seem to be all about lady transforms renowned rake into loyal husband... was good the first time around but not so much the second go 'round.

Yep, I'm still steaming about my wasted $10.. lol

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